scorching heat and fierce frosts and rain-storms and tempestuous
winds, others spending their lives in the hovels which they had
builded them, or in the hiding of holes and caverns. Thus, in
pursuit of virtue, they utterly denied themselves all fleshly
comfort and repose, submitting to a diet of uncooked herbs and
worts, or acorns, or hard dry bread, not merely saying good-bye
to delights in their quality, but, in very excess of temperance,
extending their zeal to limit even the quantity of enjoyment.
For even of those common and necessary meats they took only so
much as was sufficient to sustain life. Some of them continued
fasting the whole week, and partook of victuals only of a Sunday:
others thought of food twice only in the week: others ate every
other day, or daily at eventide, that is, took but a taste of
food. In prayers and watchings they almost rivalled the life of
Angels, bidding a long farewell to the possession of gold and
silver, and quite forgetting that buyings and sellings are
concerns of men.

"But envy and pride, the evils most prone to follow good works,
had no place amongst them. He that was weaker in ascetic
exercises entertained no thought of malice against him of
brighter example. Nor again was he, that had accomplished great
feats, deceived and puffed up by arrogance to despise his weaker
brethren, or set at nought his neighbour, or boast of his
rigours, or glory in his achievements. He that excelled in
virtue ascribed nothing to his own labours, but all to the power
of God, in humility of mind persuading himself that his labours
were nought and that he was debtor even for more, as saith the
Lord, `When ye shall have done all those things which are
commanded you, say, "We are unprofitable servants: we have done